Crucial to feeling good and being resilient is to have a sense of purpose. Our unique reason for being can alter many times during a lifetime, with changes sometimes beyond our control. Viktor Frankl was a great proponent of having a purpose. He was sent to a Nazi concentration camp in WW2 and arrived carrying a manuscript that contained all his research compiled over his career, ready for publication. When it was confiscated, he felt compelled to write it all over again. That need drove him, to write notes when able, resulting in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning”. This helped give his life meaning. He had a goal to achieve and that made him persevere and survive. In his book he describes the horrors he experienced and his theory of logotherapy, which is based on the premise that the primary motivational force of an individual is to find meaning in life. Psychiatrists too have confirmed that the prisoners in concentration camps with the greatest chance of survival were those who had things they wanted to accomplish outside of the camp and this was true of Frankl who eventually developed a practice of Logotherapy.
In Japan, there is a concept known as “Ikigai” which roughly translates as – “what gets you up in the morning”. Hector Garcia and Francesc Mirallas write about this in their book – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. Ikigai is your reason for being and it doesn’t have to be a big thing. A grandmother of 100 may find her “Ikigai” in sitting in a chair watching over her grandchildren. For others it might mean running a successful business or following a profession, or being an athlete, scientist, musician, artist, or writer. It is something you feel driven to do.
Living with purpose is about a certain way of life and it’s the journey that’s important, not just the end. The trick is finding something you love, something you’re good at and something the world needs. If you can make a living from it too, then that’s even better. Having this purpose gives you the energy, motivation and enthusiasm to continue despite setbacks. This “bounce back” or resilience keeps us going, in difficult times.
Now is a great time to consider purpose in nature. As we look around, we see life springing up all around us. I went out into the garden today to check what had survived the cold, frosty and generally dry winter we’ve had. I was pleasantly surprised to see Spring flowers and some other plants that had buds on them despite no effort from me. I also watched the birds…staking out their territories with wings flapping and bird song, starting to build their nests. For a tree too…life may be hard at times with increasing weather extremes but its purpose is straight forward – growth, reproduction, ensuring the survival of offspring and contributing to the survival of life in general. It does however play the slow game.
When we talk about slow, yew trees are Britain’s longest living species. Sarah Spencer in her book – “Think Like A Tree” writes that they can take 100 years to reach sexual maturity. They spend time putting down strong roots. Whilst the soil, wind and rain will influence their growth, in general, their slow growth means denser wood which is more resilient to pests and disease. The stronger roots also have less chance of breaking in the wind, plus the slow growing trees have rings incredibly close together, making this one of the most dense and highly prized of trees.
However, the record for the oldest and slowest growing trees must go to one incredible aspen colony in Utah in the USA, which covers 106 acres (43 hectares) and is around 80,000 years old. This, the world’s heaviest organism has one giant root system weighing over 600 tonnes and 40,000 stems that are clones of each other.
When we look at Nature we see many stories of survival. The odds of a Beech nut becoming a mature tree is around 1.8 million to one. Having made it past the squirrels and the other creatures who might eat it for breakfast, it has to be deposited in a fertile spot with enough rain and warmth to start the germination process. Once the little shoot emerges, it must grow with all its might. It has to keep going through the sapling stage, survive the elements and animals browsing around it, as well as struggles for light, with the hope of one day becoming a mature tree. It won’t produce its own nuts for at 250 years and will carry on growing for many hundreds more when times are tough. When light is scarce, it will reach outwards towards it. When the wind is strong it will put down stronger roots. Learning about this inspires us too. As author and activist Helen Keller said “life is a daring adventure or nothing”.
Some people may feel a pressure to be successful…. So it’s helpful to reflect on what your own definition of success is ? Is it wealth, fame or status ?….or are you more in tune with a tree’s definition of success, which is about growth, vitality, resilience and cooperation. Power is often a driving force for success but is it power over others or power with others? Martin Luther King defined power as the ability to achieve our purpose and effect change. Unfortunately, the way we think often leads us to doubt ourselves and worry about things.
Defining your purpose in terms of growth, learning, support, nature, nurturing, collaboration, creativity, abundance and progress is in line with what we observe in the natural world. This means we leave behind unhelpful feelings of failure due to rigid goals, poor self-worth, a lack of direction and guilt at not being the best. Thank heavens a forest doesn’t give itself such a hard time and punish itself like we do at times…it just is.
It is interesting to read about the centenarians, who are people who have lived for over 100 years. Many are found in the USA. However, without question, the country of longevity is Japan which has the highest life expectancy of any country in the world. Interestingly they often seem to live peaceful lives in the countryside. In addition to a healthy diet, and an integrated healthcare system, where people go to the doctor for regular check-ups to prevent disease, there is a strong sense of community. Japanese people also try to stay active until the very end, which seems to be a key element to their long life. Staying busy is important too, even when there’s no need to work. As is relaxing and having enjoyable activities to do.
It’s never too late to find that purpose. Carmen Herrera, a Cuban – American artist lived until she was 106 years, spending 70 years refining her work and only selling her first canvas at age 89 years. Today her work is in the permanent collections of the Tate Modern and the Modern Museum of Modern Art. When asked how she viewed her future, she said “I am always waiting to finish the next thing. Absurd, I know I go day by day”. A great inspiration for us all.
By Katie James
Katie James runs Walking for Wellness groups in Bramley, Hampshire on the 4th Sunday of the month. These are aimed at helping people build resilience by looking and learning from nature. If interested in coming along, please get in touch.